Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) An International Organization Dedicated to the Education, Research and Treatment of Spinal Deformity

• Patient & Family
  • Main
  • Choose a Different Language
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • 中文 (Chinese)
    • Française (French)
    • 日本 (Japanese)
    • Español (Spanish)
  • Patient Stories
    • Submit Your Own Story
      • Patient Story - Case Study Submission Form
      • Participant - Patient Consent And Release
    • View All Patient Stories
    • Stacy's Story:
      A Professional Golfer's Scoliosis Diagnosis & Treatment
    • Angela's Story:
      Idiopathic Scoliosis
    • Cody's Story:
      Neuromuscular Scoliosis
    • Jessica's Story:
      Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis and Fixed Sagittal Imbalance
    • Yessica's Story:
      Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
    • Antoinette's Story
      Adult Scoliosis Diagnosis and Treatment
    • Caitlin's Story
      Some Battles Can Be Won!
    • Marcia's Story
      Adult Scoliosis Diagnosis and Treatment
    • Hanna's Story
      Look How Much I have Grown!
  • Kyphosis
    • Congenital Kyphosis
      • Definition and Classification
      • Evaluation
      • Prognosis
      • Non-Operative Treatments
      • Surgical Treatments
        • In Situ Fusion
        • Instrumented Fusion and Osteotomy
    • Developmental Kyphosis
      • About Developmental Kyphosis
      • Nonsurgical Management
      • Surgical Treatment
    • Traumatic Kyphosis
    • Adult / Fixed Sagittal Imbalance
      • About Adult / Fixed Sagittal Imbalance
      • Types of Sagittal Imbalance
      • Causes of Fixed Sagittal Imbalance (Flatback Syndrome)
      • Nonoperative Treatment
      • Operative Treatment
  • Scoliosis
    • Common Scoliosis Questions
    • Congenital Scoliosis
      • About Congenital Scoliosis
      • Classification
      • Evaluation & Prognosis
      • Non-Operative Treatments
      • Surgical Options
        • In Situ Spinal Fusion
        • Hemi-Epiphysiodesis
        • Hemi-Vertebra Resection
        • Growing Rods
        • Expansion Thoracoplasty and VEPTR Treatment
        • Spinal Instrumentation and Fusion
    • Idiopathic Scoliosis
      • Infants
        • About Infantile Idiopathic Scoliosis
        • Treatment
        • Observation
        • Casting / Bracing
        • Surgical Management
        • Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome
          • Other Diseases
          • Diagnosis
          • Treatment
          • VEPTR Expansion Thoracoplasty for Thoracic Insufficiency
      • Juveniles
        • About Juvenile Idiopathic Scoliosis
        • Observation
        • Bracing
        • Surgical Management
          • Growing Rods
        • Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome
          • Other Diseases
          • Diagnosis
          • Treatment
          • VEPTR Expansion Thoracoplasty for Thoracic Insufficiency
      • Adolescents
        • About Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
        • Physical Findings
        • Imaging Evaluation
        • Treatment
        • Non-Operative Treatments
          • Observation / Alternative Treatment
          • Bracing
        • Surgical Treatment
        • Thoracic Insufficiency Syndrome
          • Other Diseases
          • Diagnosis
          • Treatment
          • VEPTR Expansion Thoracoplasty for Thoracic Insufficiency
      • Adults
        • About Adult Idiopathetic Scoliosis
          • Adult Idiopathic Scoliosis
          • Adult Degenerative Scoliosis
          • Post-Surgical Deformity
          • Diagnosis
          • Imaging Studies
          • Nonoperative Management
          • Surgical Treatment
        • Adult Spinal Deformity
          • Causes
          • Symptoms
          • Diagnosis
          • Radiographs
          • Treatment Options
    • Neuromuscular
      • About Neuromuscular Scoliosis
      • Indications for Surgery
      • Spinal Stabilization
  • Spondylolysis
    • Adolescent Back Pain
    • Spondylolysis
    • Isthmic Spondylolisthesis
    • Nonoperative Treatment
    • Operative Treatment
  • The Aging Spine
    • Osteoporosis and Compression Fractures
    • Osteoarthritis and Other Degenerative Conditions of the Spine:
      • Degenerative Discs and Facet Joints
      • Spinal Stenosis
      • Herniated Lumbar Disc
      • Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease
    • Pseudarthrosis
    • Scoliosis and Other Spine Deformities:
      • Adult Idiopathic and Degenerative (De Novo) Scoliosis
      • Kyphosis
  • Commonly Asked Patient Questions
    • Preface
    • Answers to Questions Commonly Asked by Patients
    • What Is Scoliosis?
    • What Is Kyphosis?
    • Do I Have Scoliosis?
    • What Are Spinal Deformities?
    • What Are the Signs of Scoliosis?
    • What Causes Scoliosis?
    • Who Gets Scoliosis?
    • What Ill Effects Can Result From Scoliosis?
    • What Should Be Done?
    • What Causes Abnormal Kyphosis?
    • Brace Treatment for Spinal Deformity
    • What Happens if the Curve Requires Surgery?
  • Frequently Asked Scoliosis Questions
    • Overview
    • Introduction to Scoliosis
    • Treatment Options for Scoliosis
    • Surgical Treatment for Scoliosis
    • Scoliosis Surgery: Things to Consider
    • Growing Up With Scoliosis
  • What Are My Treatment Options?
    • Overview
    • Observation
    • Bracing
    • Surgical Treatment
    • Living with Scoliosis
  • Glossary
  • Links
    • American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons - Your Orthopaedic Connection
    • Bone and Joint Decade
    • National Scoliosis Foundation
    • Scoliosis Association
    • Donate to the SRS Research Endowment Fund
• Professionals
  • Advocacy & Public Policy
    • AAOS Orthopaedic Disclosure Program
    • Advocacy Committee Newsletter Article (PDF)
    • Coding Corner
    • CMS query into the efficacy of spinal surgery (PDF)
    • Neuromonitoring Information Statement (Word)
    • Scoliosis Awareness Month
    • Scoliosis Media Guide (PDF)
    • Position Statments
      • Industry Support for Programs of the Scoliosis Research Society
      • Insurance Reimbursement for Spinal Orthosis Used in the Treatment of Idiopathic Scoliosis
      • Pediatric Spinal Devices
      • School Screening Programs for the Early Detection of Scoliosis
      • Somatosensory Evoked Potential Monitoring of Neurological Spinal Cord Function During Spinal Surgery
  • Awards and Scholarships
  • Conditions and Treatment
    • Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis
      • Main
      • Causes
      • Symptoms
      • Physical Findings
      • Imaging Studies
      • Treatment
    • Congenital Kyphosis
      • Main
      • Treatment
      • Prognosis
    • Congenital Scoliosis
      • Main
      • Observation
      • Bracing
      • Surgery
        • In Situ Spinal Fusion
        • Hemi-epiphysiodesis
        • Hemi Vertebra Resection
        • Growing Rods
        • VEPTR Treatment
        • Instrumentation and Fusion
      • Prognosis
    • Infantile Scoliosis
      • Main
      • Observation
      • Bracing
      • Casting
      • Surgery
        • In Situ Spinal Fusion
        • Growing Rods
        • Instrumentation and Fusion
      • Long Term Prognosis
    • Juvenile Scoliosis
      • Main
      • Observation
      • Bracing
      • Casting
      • Traction
      • Surgery
        • In Situ Spinal Fusion
        • Growing Rods
        • Instrumentation and Fusion
      • Long Term Results
    • Kyphosis in the Adolescent and Young Adult
      • Main
      • Scheuermann's Kyphosis/Disease
      • Summary
    • Spondylolysis & Spondylolisthesis
  • Educational Materials
    • Brochures
    • CMS Query into the Efficacy of Spinal Surgery (PDF)
    • Leadership in Orthopaedic Surgery
    • Neuromonitoring Information Statement (Word)
    • SRS Bracing Manual
      • Idiopathic Scoliosis (PDF)
      • Brace Biomechanics
      • Brace Wear Compliance (PDF)
      • Milwaukee Brace (PDF)
      • Boston Brace (PDF)
      • Wilmington Brace (PDF)
      • Charleston Brace (PDF)
      • Providence Brace (PDF)
      • 3-D Consideration
      • European Braces
      • Scheuermann's Kyphosis (PDF)
      • SpineCor System (PDF)
      • Annotated Bibliography (PDF)
  • Global Outreach
    • About the Global Outreach Program
    • Educational Materials
      • Donated Books (XLS)
      • Research Data Collection (PPT)
      • The Feasibility and Efficacy of Intraoperative Neural Monitoring in Developing Countries (PPT)
      • Segmental Instrumentation Info (XLS)
      • International Educational: Curriculum and Lectures (PPT)
      • Lunch Time Symposium (PPT)
    • Forms
      • Instructions for FOCOS database (Word)
      • FOCOS Database request form (Word)
      • Site Assessment Checklist (PPT)
      • Site Info Template (Word)
      • SRS Global Outreach Mission Report Form (Word)
      • SRS Endorsed Site Application (Word)
    • Future Meetings
    • Links
      • Children's Orthopedics in Underserved Regions (COUR)
      • Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO)
      • The Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine (FOCOS)
      • US State Department Travel Advisories
    • Mission Statement
    • Other Available Programs
    • SRS Endorsed Programs
      • Sofia, Bulgaria
      • Butterfly Foundation (Fundacion Mariposa)
      • Cali, Colombia
      • Guayquil, Ecuador
      • Quito, Ecuador
      • Cairo, Egypt
      • FOCOS-Accra, Ghana
      • San Pedro Sula, Honduras
      • Indonesia
      • Vilniu, Lithuania
      • Jiotepe, Carazo, Nicaragua
      • Trinidad
      • Kampala, Uganda
      • Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar
      • Wenzhou
    • SRS Educational Scholarship
      • Previous Scholarhip Recipients
    • SRS Global Outreach Visiting Fellowship Program
  • Glossary (Medical Professionals)
    • SRS 3-D Terminology
    • SRS Biomechanics Glossary
    • SRS Revised Glossary of Terms
  • Membership
    • Main
    • Application (PDF)
    • Sliding Fee Dues Country Codes (PDF)
    • Fast Track Approach to Active Fellowship
  • Spine Deformity Journal
  • SRS E-Text
  • SRS Outcomes
    • Bibliography (PDF)
    • SRS 30 Questionnaire (PDF)
    • SRS 30 Score Sheet (PDF)
    • SRS 30 Sample Scoring (PDF)
    • SRS 24 Patient Questionnaire (PDF)
    • SRS 23 Patient Questionnaire (PDF)
    • SRS 22 Patient Questionnaire (PDF)
    • SRS 22 Scored Sample (PDF)
    • SRS 22 - Patient Questionnaire (Chinese) (PDF)
    • SRS 22 - Patient Manuscript (Chinese) (PDF)
    • SRS 22 - Patient Questionnaire (Dutch) (Word)
    • SRS 22 - Patient Questionnaire (Japanese) (PDF)
    • SRS 22 - Patient Questionnaire (Spanish) (PDF)
    • SRS 22 - Patient Questionnaire (Turkish) (PDF)
  • The Hibbs Society
    • Overview
    • Charter & Mission Statement (PDF)
    • Past Meetings
      • 2011: Louisville, Kentucky (PDF)
      • 2010: Kyoto, Japan (PPT)
      • 2008: Salt Lake City Utah (PDF)
      • 2007: Edinburgh, Scotland (PPT)
      • 2004: Buenos Aires, Argentina (PDF)
      • 2003: Quebec City, Canada (PDF)
      • 2002: Seattle, Washington
      • 2001: Cleveland, Ohio
      • 2000: Australia
  • SRS Merchandise
• Meetings
  • SRS Meetings
  • Future Meetings
  • Past Meetings
  • AAOS Orthopaedic Disclosure Program
  • Spine Related Meetings
  • Worldwide Conferences
• Research
  • For Patients
  • General Guidelines
  • Directed Research
  • Research Topics
  • Q & A
  • Grants Awarded
  • Mentor Program
    • Research Mentors
  • Outcomes
  • Grant Applications
  • BSRF Research Forum
• Support
  • Overview
  • DONATE NOW
    • Direct Giving
    • Annual Giving
    • Endowment Giving
  • SRS Shands Members
• About Us
  • Board of Directors
  • Contact Us
  • Corporate Supporters

What Are My Treatment Options?

Observation

Observation is generally for patients whose curves are less than 25º who are still growing, or for curves less than 50º in patients who have completed their growth.